How To Love Others

Respect others property - Exodus 21:33-22:15

A. Exodus 21:33-22:1

Exodus 21:33–22:1 ESV

33 “When a man opens a pit, or when a man digs a pit and does not cover it, and an ox or a donkey falls into it, 34 the owner of the pit shall make restoration. He shall give money to its owner, and the dead beast shall be his. 35 “When one man’s ox butts another’s, so that it dies, then they shall sell the live ox and share its price, and the dead beast also they shall share. 36 Or if it is known that the ox has been accustomed to gore in the past, and its owner has not kept it in, he shall repay ox for ox, and the dead beast shall be his. 1 “If a man steals an ox or a sheep, and kills it or sells it, he shall repay five oxen for an ox, and four sheep for a sheep.

haha if he gets stuck in a pit you get to keep him, but you have to figure out how to get him out....haha burying a hippo stroy.

The temptation is to look at this and say this has nothing to do with me.

But the principles clearly being taught is: respect other people’s property. If you hurt someone. Make it right. If you injure their property: Make it right.

Still true today, if you hit a car. Make it right. If you borrow something and break it: make it right.

Exodus 22:2–4 ESV

2 If a thief is found breaking in and is struck so that he dies, there shall be no bloodguilt for him, 3 but if the sun has risen on him, there shall be bloodguilt for him. He shall surely pay. If he has nothing, then he shall be sold for his theft. 4 If the stolen beast is found alive in his possession, whether it is an ox or a donkey or a sheep, he shall pay double.

If someone is breaking in , literally digging in. In the night, whatever measure you take is justified. It is reasonable to assume he is their to hurt you and you have the right to defend yourself.

But if the sun is out and you can tell that man will not actually hurt you. haha prob pretty dumb criminal anyway. You can be liable.

It would be like seeing that person lay down his weapon then shooting him anyway. God was interested in making sure their was no abuse.

Pay double - there was no prison, but you could become a slave for 6 years if you did not have the money to pay. You would have to pay double what it was worth.

The Bible requires restitution not just punishment.

Exodus 22:5–15 ESV

5 “If a man causes a field or vineyard to be grazed over, or lets his beast loose and it feeds in another man’s field, he shall make restitution from the best in his own field and in his own vineyard. 6 “If fire breaks out and catches in thorns so that the stacked grain or the standing grain or the field is consumed, he who started the fire shall make full restitution. 7 “If a man gives to his neighbor money or goods to keep safe, and it is stolen from the man’s house, then, if the thief is found, he shall pay double. 8 If the thief is not found, the owner of the house shall come near to God to show whether or not he has put his hand to his neighbor’s property. 9 For every breach of trust, whether it is for an ox, for a donkey, for a sheep, for a cloak, or for any kind of lost thing, of which one says, ‘This is it,’ the case of both parties shall come before God. The one whom God condemns shall pay double to his neighbor. 10 “If a man gives to his neighbor a donkey or an ox or a sheep or any beast to keep safe, and it dies or is injured or is driven away, without anyone seeing it, 11 an oath by the Lord shall be between them both to see whether or not he has put his hand to his neighbor’s property. The owner shall accept the oath, and he shall not make restitution. 12 But if it is stolen from him, he shall make restitution to its owner. 13 If it is torn by beasts, let him bring it as evidence. He shall not make restitution for what has been torn. 14 “If a man borrows anything of his neighbor, and it is injured or dies, the owner not being with it, he shall make full restitution. 15 If the owner was with it, he shall not make restitution; if it was hired, it came for its hiring fee.

If you have anything in your possession that is lost or destroyed then you must pay for it. Double. This would deter crime. If you steal a car that 20,000 and wreck it. You would need to work mininimum wage job until you make 40,000 dollars then you can go free. That would likely hinder.

Parents, make your kids pay back those things. It will teach them.

If no evidence eitehr way. Make an oath and keep it. - If someone lies to you, God will be their judge.

Light brings responsibility.

Respect others purity - Exodus 22:16-20

Exodus 22:16–17 ESV

16 “If a man seduces a virgin who is not betrothed and lies with her, he shall give the bride-price for her and make her his wife. 17 If her father utterly refuses to give her to him, he shall pay money equal to the bride-price for virgins.

If you were to suduce a virgin - have premarital sex - not speaking here of rape. Then you must marry her. Shotgun wedding.

But what if Dad does not approve. You have to pay the brideprice - could be a years salary.

Make you think twice before trying to force anything wouldn’t it. If a girl was trying something the young man would still likely think twice haha.

Exodus 22:18–20 ESV

18 “You shall not permit a sorceress to live. 19 “Whoever lies with an animal shall be put to death. 20 “Whoever sacrifices to any god, other than the Lord alone, shall be devoted to destruction.

Cultural purity.

Sorceress to live - There is something real about this. It is a connection to demonic things. If God would kill real ones. Might want to think about having your kids dress up like someone God kills.

V19 - I was reading that this is becoming extremely common form of pornography. The mind gets so depraved that you will start to crave things.

V20 - this is waht it looks like when you have another God.

Our behavior impacts others.

Respect others personhood - Exodus 22:21-23:9

Exodus 22:21–24 ESV

21 “You shall not wrong a sojourner or oppress him, for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt. 22 You shall not mistreat any widow or fatherless child. 23 If you do mistreat them, and they cry out to me, I will surely hear their cry, 24 and my wrath will burn, and I will kill you with the sword, and your wives shall become widows and your children fatherless.

sojourner - foreighner.

fatherless child - no more oppertunity this Thursday. haha - or you will die.

Exodus 22:25–27 ESV

25 “If you lend money to any of my people with you who is poor, you shall not be like a moneylender to him, and you shall not exact interest from him. 26 If ever you take your neighbor’s cloak in pledge, you shall return it to him before the sun goes down, 27 for that is his only covering, and it is his cloak for his body; in what else shall he sleep? And if he cries to me, I will hear, for I am compassionate.

Don’t try to take advantage of your friends and neighbors. This isn’t talking about running a bank, although they should avoid unaccpetable practicies too.

It would be like keeping his car as colletareral when he then can’t get to work.

Exodus 22:28–31 ESV

28 “You shall not revile God, nor curse a ruler of your people. 29 “You shall not delay to offer from the fullness of your harvest and from the outflow of your presses. The firstborn of your sons you shall give to me. 30 You shall do the same with your oxen and with your sheep: seven days it shall be with its mother; on the eighth day you shall give it to me. 31 “You shall be consecrated to me. Therefore you shall not eat any flesh that is torn by beasts in the field; you shall throw it to the dogs.

Nor curse the ruler of your people - uh -oh.

V29 - sacrifice to God. Give the first born to him. It was orginally planned each first born was going to be the priest. But their sin stopped that.

Exodus 23:1–3 ESV

1 “You shall not spread a false report. You shall not join hands with a wicked man to be a malicious witness. 2 You shall not fall in with the many to do evil, nor shall you bear witness in a lawsuit, siding with the many, so as to pervert justice, 3 nor shall you be partial to a poor man in his lawsuit.

Be a person of integrity. Even if everyone else is doing it. Even if it would really help the poor person.

Exodus 23:4–5 ESV

4 “If you meet your enemy’s ox or his donkey going astray, you shall bring it back to him. 5 If you see the donkey of one who hates you lying down under its burden, you shall refrain from leaving him with it; you shall rescue it with him.

Exodus 23:6–9 ESV

6 “You shall not pervert the justice due to your poor in his lawsuit. 7 Keep far from a false charge, and do not kill the innocent and righteous, for I will not acquit the wicked. 8 And you shall take no bribe, for a bribe blinds the clear-sighted and subverts the cause of those who are in the right. 9 “You shall not oppress a sojourner. You know the heart of a sojourner, for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt.

Soujourners.

The way we treat others reveals how we love God.

CONCLUSION: This world is not our home. We are sojourners. (2 cor?)